Improvement in desks for school-teachers



rnron WESLEY C. CARTER AND JAMES P. EMERY, OF GALVA, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN DESKS FOR SCHOOL-TEACHERS, &c.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 119,316, dated September 26, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WEsLEY-O. CARTER and J AMESP. EMERY, of Galva, in the county of Henry and State of Illinois have invented a new and Improved Desk for Schools, &c.; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this speciiication, in whichy Figure l represents a perspective view of our improved desk looking at it from the front. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same looking at it from the back. l

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention has for its object to construct a convenient desk, more particularly for the use of teachers in schools, colleges, &c., which contains compartments for all books, charts, maps, and instruments usually employed, said compartments to be within convenient reach of the occupant, and adjustable to be varied in size as occasion may require. The invention consists in the combination or arrangement of certain parts of the desk, as hereinafter described, and as specified in the claims. The invention also consists m the use of an adjustable footrest, and in a new mechanism for adjusting the several shelves of the desk.

The desk shown in the drawing is represented as beingof rectangular form, with a spaceor chamber, A, in front for accommodating the lower extremities of the occupant. At the back of this chamber is a foot-rest, B, which is a plate or board with projecting pins or trunnions a at i the ends, said pins resting in notched bars b,

that are fastened to the sides of the chamber A. In the several notches of the bars b the footrest can be adjusted to a suitable height. It is held at the requisite inclination by a lip, c, at the back of the board'B, striking the back edge of the bar b, or, by a similar lip in front, striking the front edge of said bar. Directly above the space A is a compartment, O, with a hinged drop-door to close it. It serves as a receptacle for stationery, 8vo., and has the drop-door in preference to a drawer, as it is more convenient to the person sitting right in front. Above the compartment C is the writing-desk proper D, which has a hinged lid, d. This writing-desk projects above the iiat top c of the entire desk, and has thus iiat planes on both sides and in rear for putting things aside, displaying instruments, 8m. At the sides of the space A are doors E E, which close the text-book cases, the same being thus within convenient reach of the teacher. Shelves ff are arranged in these book-cases at suitable distances apart. One end of the desk has a door, F, which closes four compartments, g, h, 5, and j. The narrow upright compartment g, extending to about the middle of the desk, is for charts; the narrow top compartment h, extending clear through the entire length of the desk, for maps; the compartmenttfor Sundries; and j, for atlases, &c. The shelf k, between the compartments z' and j, can be adjusted higher or lower to permit the enlargement of either chamber. For this purpose two transverse supporting bars, l, are pivoted to the under side of the shelf, so that their projecting ends will enter notches m provided in the sides of the compartment. Whenever these bars are turned obliquely their ends will come out of these notches and permit the removal or adjustment of the shelf. All the shelves of this desk can be made adjustable bythe same means. The opposite end of the desk has a door, G, which closes three compartments, h, a, and o, the first of which has already been referred to. The compartment n is to receive slates, while o is for the globe, tellurian, or other instrument. The shelf p, between n and o, is adjustable in the same manner as the shelf k above described. The back of the desk has two pairs of doors, H H and I I.` The same lead to -library-cases, which, on one side, have adjustable shelves q g with partings r r, and on the other side plane shelves s. A portion, t, is set off for the day-book, ledger, and other large books, having vertical shelves a for holding them apart.

In this manner a compact desk is produced which contains room for all ordinary school-room necessaries, and can be conveniently reached from every side.

Having thus described our invention, we claim the notched sides of the compartments, as specias new and desire to secure by Letters Patentfied.

1. In combination with the desk the foot-rest WESLEY C. CARTER. B, hung in the notched bars b, to be adjustable JAMES P. EMERY. therein, substantially als herein shown and described. Witnesses:

2. The adjustable shelf, provided with the EA. THOMPSON,

pivoted supporting bers l l, whose ends fit into A. W. ALBRO. 

